GB2180296A - Motor vehicle roof assembly - Google Patents

Description

1 b 50 GB2180296A 1

SPECIFICATION

Motor vehicle roof assemblies The invention relates to motor vehicle roof as- 70 semblies comprising a sliding and preferably also pivotable panel for closing and opening an aperture in a vehicle roof in use. The panel underside is covered by a roof lining or can- opy which, near to the panel front edge, is connected to the panel via at least one coupling means which allows vertical adjustment of the panel.

In a known motor vehicle roof of this type (DE-PS 26 37 839), the coupling means has leaf springs which, at one end, are mounted on the front part of a canopy frame and, at the other end, on a rail which is connected by clips to a cross member on the underside of the panel. Instead of a plurality of leaf springs 85 and the rail, it is also possible to provide a rail-type leaf spring which extends over the entire width of the panel and which along one longitudinal edge is secured to the panel and along its other longitudinal edge to the canopy 90 frme. The spring or springs keep the canopy in engagement with a flange of a roof frame surrounding the roof aperture, which flange serves as a lateral guide for the canopy, and this engagement is maintained independently of any vertical adjustment of the panel in rela tion to the fixed roof surface. This vertical adjustability of the panel is necessary to en sure that the panel, which is situated in the closed position during the final assembly of 100 the vehicle, can be fitted in alignment with the fixed roof surface. However, in the known ar rangement, during any alteration in the vertical adjustment of the panel in relation to the roof frame and thus relative to the canopy, a force 105 component is transmitted to the latter which is directed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. This force component causes dis placement of the canopy in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the panel closed position it is thus possible for undesirable gaps to arise between the front edge or rear edge of the canopy and the adjacent roof frame parts. Moreover, the known arrange ment results in relatively great installation height, since between the canopy and the end of the spring or springs to be joined to the panel sufficient space must be provided in the vertical direction to enable the spring or springs to be bent downwards and then 120 prpssed upwards for engagement of the clips of the panel cross member.

In another known motor vehicle roof of the initially mentioned type (DE-PS 25 51 335), front slide pads disposed on either side of the panel, which serve to guide the panel during its sliding movement and which are vertically adjustable relative to the panel, are rigidly con nected to one another by a cross member and at least two mutually spaced, stirrup-shaped detent springs, open to the front, are secured to the canopy and can engage on the cross member when the canopy is pushed in from the rear edge of the panel. In this case, vertical adjustment of the panel has no effect on the alignment of the canopy. However, the required additional cross member results in a undesirable increase in overall weight.

There is hereafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings a motor vehicle roof which is simple to assemble, in which the canopy is guided accurately independently of the vertical adjustment of the panel, which occupies little installation space in the vertical direction and which at the same time is distinguished by its low weight.

More generally, the invention provides a motor vehicle roof assembly comprising a panel slideable in use to close and open a roof aperture, the panel underside being covered by a roof lining or canopy which, near to the panel front edge, is connected to the panel via at least one coupling means which allows vertical adjustment of the panel, which coupling means comprises a first coupling member providing a substantially vertical guideway and a second coupling member adapted to be brought into locating engagement with the first coupling member by relative movement in a substantially horizontal direction and when so engaged to be freely displaceable to a limited extent along said quideway and to be freely tiltable through a limited angle with respect to the vertical.

Preferably, the coupling means has a substantially vertically arranged coupling pin and a coupling detent or locating means which can be brought into locating engagement with the coupling pin by a relative movement in a substantially horizontal direction and which, in the engaged position, is freely displaceable to a limited extent relative to the coupling pin in the direction of the pin axis and can be freely tilted through a limited angle relative to the coupling pin.

The motor vehicle roof illustrated hereafter does not require a weightincreasing additional cross member. The aforementioned design of the coupling means ensures that, during verti- cal adjustment ard also when the panel is pivoted out, no forces are transmitted to the canopy which could displace the canopy. The roof can thus be of very flat construction.

The coupling detent preferably has two adjacent spring arms which can be expanded against spring restoring force, which in a relaxed condition define an opening to accommodate the coupling pin with a predetermined clearance the vertical dimensions of which arms are smaller than that of the coupling pin. The connection of the canopy to the panel by pushing-in the canopy in a horizontal direction, particularly from the rear, is effected in a particularly simple manner if the spring arms are tapered in funnel-fashion at their free front 2 GB2180296A 2 ends, thereby achieving self-centering with re spect to the coupling pin.

Advantageously, the coupling pin is secured to the panel or a front panel reinforcement, whereas the coupling detent is mounted on a 70 canopy frame of the canopy. In principle, however, the arrangement may be vice versa.

It is an aid to assembly if the coupling detent is clipped into the canopy frame. Preferably, the canopy frame is then curved upwards in 75 the vicinity of the clip connection to the cou pling detent so that in the clipped-in position the lower envelope surface of the coupling de tent lies at the same height as or above the lower envelope surface of the canopy frame. 80 In this way the clip connection is hidden from view behind the canopy lining which, prefera bly, consists of textile material or plastics sheet. Moreover, a solution of this type also contributes to interior safety.

In a further development of the invention the coupling detent is pivotably mounted rela tive to the canopy frame about an axis per pendicular to the frame plane and, alterna tively, can be rotated into an operative posi tion and an "!phoistering" position. This en ables the canopy frame to be upholstered with the canopy lining without interference from the coupling detent. To obviate any undesirable displacement of the ' coupling detent, the latter can be located relative to the canopy frame preferably in the pivotal positions correspond ing both to the operative position and uphol stering position.

For reliable guidance of the canopy the cou- 100 pling detent preferably has at least one spring which pretensions the canopy in a direction pointing away from the panel. In this way the canopy can be urged resiliently and with rela tively little force against guide means which 105 are rigid with the vehicle, for example a roof frame surrounding the roof aperture, so as firstly to ensure easy sliding of the canopy and secondly to prevent rattling. The spring may simply be designed as a plate spring con- 110 nected in one piece with the coupling detent.

The coupling detent is preferably an injected moulded plastics component.

In a further development of the invention, in the rear panel zone and on either side of the panel a respective guide fork is clipped on to the canopy, which fork is in the form of an injection-moulded component with integral slideway in which an adjusting pin is guided pro- truding laterally from a pivoting-out lever serving to tilt the panel. Accurate guidance of the canopy is further improved thereby.

One example of the embodiment of the invention is illustrated in more detail below with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic longitudinal section through a vehicle roof along the line 1-1 in Figure 2; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the vehicle roof according to Figure 1; Figure 3 shows on an enlarged scale a side view of a coupling detent clipped on to a canopy frame; Figure 4 shows a plan view of the front lefthand corner of the canopy frame with fitted coupling detent; Figure 5 shows a plan view of the rear lefthand part of the canopy frame with clipped-on guide fork; Figure 6 shows a section along the line IVIV in Figure 5, and Figure 7 shows a cross-section through a coupling pin corresponding to the line V11-VII in Figure 1.

According to Figures 1 and 2, a rectangular roof aperture 11 is provided in the fixed roof surface 10 of a motor vehicle and can be closed by means of a panel 12 The panel 12 can alternatively be pivoted out at its rear edge 13 above the fixed roof surface 10, so as to ventilate the vehicle interior, or it can side rearwards under the fixed roof surface 10 after its rear edge 13 has been lowered. In Figure 2 the panel 12 is merely indicated in chain line. The roof aperture 11 is surrounded by a roof frame 14 which is securely connected to the roof surface 10 in a manner not illustrated in any detail. The roof frame 14 carries or forms guide rails which extend along the lateral edges of the roof aperture 11 and in which front and rear slide members are slidably guided in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The front slide members are mounted on the slide-member carriers 15, of which only the left-hand one is shown in Figure 2. The assembly is of symmetrical mirrorimage arrangement relative to a longitudinal plane of symmetry. Therefore, only the construction and mode of operation of one side of the assembly will be described in the following.

The slide-member carrier 15 is securely connected to a lateral shield 16 on which the panel 12 is supported so as to be vertically adjustable. In its rear zone the shield 16 is in engagement, via a guide slot assembly, with a pivoting-out lever 17 one end of which (the lower end when the panel is pivoted out) is in hinged connection with the rear slide member and can carry out a pivoting movement about a horizontal transverse axis. On either side of the panel rigid (to pressure) drive cables engage respectively on the rear slide members and can be displaced by hand or driven by a motor. When the rear slide members are moved forwards, starting from the panel closed position in figures 1 and 2, the pivoting-out levers 17 become erect; the panel 12 is pivoted about an axis defined near its front edge, for example by the front slide members. The rear edge 13 of the panel 12 is then raised over the fixed roof surface 10. However, when the rear slide members are moved rearwards, starting from the position in Fig- ures 1 and 2, the panel 12 is lowered at its 1 3 GB2180296A 3 t 15 rear edge 13 and it then slides under the fixed roof surface 10.

The arrangement described so far is known and need not be discussed further. For example, its construction may correspond to 70 that in DE-PS 29 14 855.

A roof lining or canopy 20 is connected to the front zone of the panel 12 via two cou pling means 21; again only the left-hand one of which is illustrated. Each coupling means 21 has a coupling pin 22 which is secured to a panel reinforcement 23 and projects sub stantially perpendicularly downwards there from. For example, the coupling pin 22 is riv eted to the panel reinforcement 23. It has a shank 25 of substantially square cross-section and a flat enlarged head 24 provided at the bottom end of the shank 25. As is evident from Figure 7, on its front side and rear the shank 25 is provided with flat recesses 26, 27 which are of substantially triangular shape.

Each coupling means 21 is also associated with a coupling detent 30 in the form of an injection-moulded plastics component. As shown in detail in Figures 3 -and 4, the cou pling detent 30 has two adjacent spring arms 31, 32 which are tapered in funnel-fahion at their free front ends 33, 34 and are con nected to one another at the opposite end 35.

The material of the coupling detent 30 and the cross-sectional dimensions of the spring arms 31, 32 are so chosen that, by abutting against the coupling pin 22 and exerting pres sure in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the spring arms 31, 32 can be expanded re siliently until the coupling pin 22 engages in an opening defined by the spring arms 31, 32 (Figure 1). The opening 36 is of such a size that in the relaxed position of the spring arms 31, 32 it accommodates the shank 25 of the coupling pin 22 with predetermined clearance, in which case front locating hooks 37, 38 of the spring arms 31, 32 engage in the front recess 26 and rear locating hooks 39, 40 en- gage in the recess 27 of the shank 25 of the coupling pin 22. The spring arms 31, 32 are of a length which is less than the longitudinal dimension of the shank 25. Accordingly, the coupling pin 22 and the coupling ciptent 30 are freely displaceble relative to one'another to a limited extent in the direction of the pin axis. Moreover, when the panel 12 is pivoted out and when the panel rear edge 13 is lowered prior to sliding the panel 12, the coupling pin 22 can be tilted rearwards relative to the coupling detent 30, without any appreciable force thus being transmitted from the coupling pin 22 to the coupling detent 30.

The coupling detent 30 is clipped on to a front cross member 42 of a canopy frame 43 of the canopy 20. For this purpose, the cross member 42 is provided with an upwardly directed convexity 44 in which two openings 45, 46 are provided. The opening 45 has a circular centre portion 47 and two slot-like portions 48, 49 projecting radially therefrom in oposite directions. The opening 46 has substantially the shape of an arc of a circle, the centre of which lies in the centre of the opening 45. Two locating dogs 51, 52 and two widened portions 53, 54 are provided in a -boundary surface 50 of the opening 46 is situated remote from the opening 45.

A circular bearing portion 56 with two radi- ally outwardly projecting webs 57, 58 is disposed on the underside of the coupling detent 30. A central web 59 is formed on the end 35 of the spring arms 31, 32 and lies substantially in extension of the spring arms 31, 32. At its end remote from the spring arms 31, 32 the central web 59 extends into a hook 60 which is resilient in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the central web 59. Locating dogs 61, 62 are provided on the underside of the hook 60.

In order to clip the coupling detent 30 on to the canopy frame 43 the webs 57, 58 are aligned with the slot-like portions 48, 49 of the opening 35 and, like the bearing portion 56, fitted through the opening 45. Simultaneously, the locating dogs 61, 62 are passed through the opening 46 in the vicinity of the widened portion 53. the coupling detent 30 is then rotated about the bearing portion 56, in anti-clockwise direction in Figure 4, into the upholstering position shown therein. In this position, the webs 57, 58 and the locating dog 61 engage under the cross memebr 42, while at the same time the centre web 59 and the transverse webs 63, 64 of the coupling detent 30 bear against the upper side of the cross member 42. The free end 65 of the hook 60 engages in abutment against the locating dog 51. the coupling detent 30 is thereby securely held in position.

The motor vehicle manufacturer will upholster the canopy frame 43 with a head-lining made of textile material or plastics sheet. The lining 67 is applied against the underside of the canopy frame 43 provided with the coupling detents 30 and with its projecting edge 68 folded over the canopy frame 43 and joined to the latter, for example with adhesive, as indicated in Figure 2. The coupling detents 30 situated in the upholstering position do not interfere with the folding over of the lining 67. Subsequently, the coupling detents 30 are rotated about the axis defined by the bearing portion 56 and lying perpendicular to the frame plane into the operative position, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and also indicated in dashed lines in Figure 4. In ths operative position, the free end 65 of the hook 60 engages behind the locating dog 52 of the opening 46, so as to prevent the coupling detent 30 from being accidentally turned out of the operative position. The locating dogs 61, 62 both engage under cross member 42.

In the rear zone of the panel 12 a respec- tive guide fork 71 is clipped on either side of 4 GB2180296A 4 the panel on to the rear cross member 70 of the canopy frame 43. Each guide fork 71 is in the form of an injection-moulded plastics part with a laterally open integral slideway 72. The free end of an adjusting pin 73 protruding laterally from the pivoting- out lever 17 engages into the slideway 72. As shown in particular in Figures 5 and 6, the cross member 70 is provided with openings 74, 75, 76 through which retaining dogs 77, 78 and 79 provided on the underside of the guide fork 71 can be passed. In the clipped-in position, resilient arms 80, 81 of the guide fork 71 bear against locating dogs 82, 83 which are formed by the openings 74, 75 so as thereby to prevent the guide forks 71 from being acci dentally released. As is evident from Figures 1 and 6, the openings 74, 75 are situated in the vicinity of an upwardly protruding convexity 84 of the cross member 70.

It is evident from Figure 1 that in the as sembled state of the canopy 20 with coupling detents 30 and guide forks 71 clipped in posi tion, the lower envelope surfaces of the cou pling detents and guide forks lie above the lower envelope surface of the canopy frame 43. Therefore, the canopy lining 67 is taut and uncreased even in the vicinity of the cou pling detents 30 and guide forks 71. The presence of the coupling detents and guide 95 forks is not apparent from the vehicle interior.

To install the canopy 20 it is pushed in from the rear with the coupling detents 30 in the operative positon. In that case the free front ends 33, 34 of the spring arms 31, 32 tapering in funnel fashion come into engagement with the coupling pins 22. The spring arms 31, 32 are spread apart until, finally, the shank 25 engages in the opening 36. At the same time, the ends of the adusting pins 71 are inserted into the slideways 72 of the guide forks 71.

Rearwardly directed plate springs 86, 87 protrude respectively from the cross members 63, 65 of the coupling detent 30. In the assembied state of the canopy 20, these plate springs bear against the underside of the panel reinforcement 23. In this way they urge the canopy 20 under relatively low pressure downwards against lateral bearing surfaces 88 on which the canopy can readily slide without rattling. Vertical adjustment of the panel 12, for which per se known means (not shown) can be provided (e.g. according to DE-PS 29 14 855), does not result in the canopy 20 being displaced, because the plate springs 86, 87 can slide freely in a horizontal plane relative to the panel 12, while (as already explained) no forces are transmitted via the cou- pling pin 22 to the coupling detent 30 and thus to the canopy frame 43 when such vertical adjustment of the panel is undertaken or when the panel is tilted. Accordingly, the canopy 20 is guided accurately unaffected by verT tical adjustment of the panel 12 relative to the roof frame 14, to which end the guide forks 71 are also of assistance.

When the panel 12 is slid rearwards from the closed position shown in Figure 1, the canopy 20 is entrained via the coupling pin 22 and the coupling detents 30, whereupon the adjusting pin 73 moves rearwards in the slideway 72. Since the rear part of the slideway 72 is situated nearer to the Mderside of the canopy 20 than the front part of this slideway, in its rear zone the canopy 20 is raised relative to the roof frame 14 so that the canopy 20 can move rearwards freely and without friction, when the panel 12 is moved back.

Preferably, the adjusting pin 73 consists of metal, whereas the guide fork 71, as already mentioned, is a plastics injection-moulded component. The pairing of metal and plastics materials enables the adusting pin 73 to run directly in the slideway 72, i.e. without an additional roller mounted on the end of the adjusting pin. With a predetermined distance between the underside of the canopy 20 and the top of the guide fork 7 1, this makes it possible to provide a great relative difference in height between the front and rear ends of the slideway 72.

Claims (17)

1. A motor vehicle roof assembly comprising a panel slideable in use to close and open a roof aperture, the panel underside being covered by a roof lining or canopy which, near to the panel front edge, is connected to the panel via at least one coupling means which allows vertical adjustment of the panel, which coupling means comprises a first coupling member providing a substantially vertical guideway and a second coupling member adapted to be brought into locating engagement with the first coupling member by relative movement in a substantially horizontal direction and when so engaged to be freely dis- placeable to a limited extent along said guideway and to be freely tiltable through a limited angle with respect to the vertical.

2. A roof assembly as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said first coupling member is a sub- stantially vertically arranged coupling pin and the second coupling member is a coupling detent which can brought into locating engagement with the coupling pin by a relative movement in a substantially horizontal direction and which, in the engaged position, is freely displaceable to a limited extent relative to the coupling pin in the direction of the pin axis and can be freely tilted through a limited angle relative to the coupling pin.

3. A roof assembly according to Claim 2, wherein the coupling detent has two adjacent spring arms which can be expanded against spring restoring force, which in a relaxed condition define an opening to accommodate the coupling pin with predetermined clearance and C GB2180296A 5 r the vertical dimensions of which are smaller 15.

than that of the coupling pin.

4. A roof assembly according to Claim 3, wherein the spring arms are tapered in funnelfashion at their free front ends.

5. A roof assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the coupling pin is secured to the panel or a front panel reinforcement and the coupling detent is mounted on a canopy frame of the canopy.

6. A roof assembly according to Claim 5, wherein the coupling detent is clipped into the canopy frame.

7. A roof assembly according to Claim 6, wherein the canopy frame is curved upwards in the vicinity of the clip connection to the coupling detent so that in the clipped-in position the lower envelope surface of the coupling detent lies at the same height as or above the lower envelope surface of the canopy frame.

8. A roof assembly according to any one of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the coupling detent is pivotably mounted relative to the canopy frame about an axis perpendicular to the frame plane and can be rotated into an operative position and into an upholstering position.

9. A roof assembly according to Claim 8, wherein means are provided for positively lo- cating the coupling detent relative to the canopy frame in pivotal positions corresponding to the operative position and upholstering position.

10. A roof assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 8, wherein the coupling detent has at least one spring which spring loads the canopy away from the panel.

11. A roof assembly according to Claim 10, wherein the spring is a plate spring connected in one piece with the coupling detent.

12. A roof assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 11, wherein the coupling detent is an injection-moulded plastics component.

13. A roof assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein in the rear panel zone and on either side of the panel a respec tive guide fork is clipped on to the canopy, which fork is in the form of an injection- moulded plastics part with integral slideway in which an adjusting pin is guided protruding laterally from a pivoting-out lever serving to tilt the panel.

14. A roof assembly as claimed in any pre- ceding claim wherein said panel is mounted for pivoting as well as for sliding movement.

15. A roof assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

16. A motor vehicle roof comprising a roof assembly as claimed in any preceding claim mounted to close and open an aperture in a fixed roof.

17. A motor vehicle comprising a roof as- sembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd, Dd 88 17356, 1987. Published at The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 'I AY, from which copies may be obtained.